Opinion time is the voice of retailers & retail industry figures, find out what they have to say here on Retail Times
The issue of safety standards in developing world factories, which produce clothes for Western economies, has once again been highlighted by recent events. Martin Philpott, head of retail at information management and business intelligence expert, IMGROUP, explains the demand for responsible
Regeneration is key to unlocking the untapped growth potential of cities across the UK, according to the CBI director general John Cridland. Speaking at the Birmingham Made Me design expo, John Cridland, CBI Director-General, will outline his vision of a new approach
Effectively engaging employees in today’s challenging economic climate is increasingly important for retailers to maintain exemplary customer service levels and maximise sales, says Nigel Garrett, business development director at the workforce management solutions provider Workplace As the ‘face’ of a business, the
With the e-commerce industry developing at an express pace, retailers need to learn why segregated, ‘best-of-breed’ merchandising systems no longer make sense in today’s time-poor retail world. The customer expects an optimised and efficient shopping experience and the retailer is
Despite the current economic climate, there is no shortage of retail entrepreneurs. However, getting a new operation off the ground and competing with brands takes capital, and that is hard to come by… or is it? Luke Lang, co-founder of
Luxury goods retailers are being forced to look beyond the traditional central London streets for sites due to a lack of space and spiralling rents, according to leading property advisor BNP Paribas Real Estate. The surrounding streets adjacent to the
Grant Montague, senior research director – global, and Hervé Turpault, vice president Europe, Perception Research Services, reveal how eye tracking can help brands stand out in the retail environment Over the past five years, there’s been a surge in the availability
Trace One, the supplier of e-collaborative solutions to accelerate the development and ensure quality and safety of food and non-food products, considers the retailer implications of product recalls in the light of the recent horse meat scandal in Europe Over
Brands may be missing out on revenue from a potentially high value demographic group by not adequately catering for the soaring number of single occupancy households in the UK. That’s the message from Bridgethorne, the category management, shopper marketing and
Jacqui Gray, business development director at brand activation agency, Arc, says in-store events like product sampling can add real value and has three top tips to ensure they deliver on all counts Supermarket shoppers should enjoy a touch of in-store
Tristan Rogers, CEO of cloud-based technology provider, ConcretePlatform, claims high street retailers should take a leaf out of the e-commerce book and get a measure of their stores There is no question the UK high street is experiencing change, but I
Simon Hill, managing director and founder of idea management firm, Wazoku, explains why new approaches to innovation and building new networks to enable this are so important for retail 2013, much like 2012 before it, hasn’t been a vintage year
The Association of Convenience Stores has called for an overhaul of business rates increases after the results of its latest survey revealed the destructive impact unpredictable rate hikes are having on local shops. The quarterly Voice of Local Shops survey,
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Mike Hughes, managing director for European operations at [24]7, explains how his company works with retailers to deliver a personalised live chat customer experience [24]7 has a rich heritage in working with retailers to deliver the right customer experience across
Reducing costs in favour of managing risk puts supply chain in jeopardy and procurement should be a boardroom topic, according to supply chain expert, Crimson & Co. A recent report from Source for consulting on professional procurement in mid-sized companies revealed why organisations should
The UK must increase its exports to avoid becoming an economic has been, says Tyrrells Crisps and Chase Vodka founder, William Chase. The UK used to export goods and services in line with its relative size in the world economy but no
Many FMCG manufacturers still haven’t grasped the importance of taking the initiative in the annual round of range reviews by the major retail multiples and are at risk of having their products de-listed, reduced in distribution or losing space on-shelf,
In his second column on Retail Times, Tristan Rogers, CEO of cloud-based technology provider, ConcretePlatform, explores the shortcomings of legacy retail IT systems and why Software-as-a-Service can be the ideal solution IT as an industry is Victorian. It is governed
Shopper marketing provides a means for retailers to share insight and work with suppliers to grow incremental revenues for both parties. However, achieving success can be challenging and often requires a change in approach. Sarah Atkins, managing director of customer
Four retail specialists give Retail Times their views on why the high street music retailer, HMV, has become the latest in a succession of retailers to fall into trouble following a difficult trading period and the challenge from online stores,
Jon Worley, director of customer interactions at payment solutions specialist, The Logic Group, predicts the key retail technology trends for 2013 2012 has been a tough year for the high street, with retailers struggling to drive sales and many high street
In a new column on Retail Times, Tristan Rogers, CEO of cloud-based technology provider, ConcretePlatform, reveals how his business has grown, supporting retailers’ entry into international markets; and why working with competing brands brings innovation to the retail party Since
Poorly organised reverse logistics during the peak returns time in January can have a significant negative impact on the bottom line, claims leading end-to-end supply chain consultancy Crimson & Co. According to Laurie King, principal at Crimson & Co, the influx
FMCG suppliers must be able to offer the most effective insights into category strategies and actionable plans if they are to compete with top multiple retailers, according to Bridgethorne, a category development, shopper marketing and customer management specialist. “As the
Supply chains will continue to adapt to the struggling European economy in 2013, according to leading end-to-end supply chain consultancy Crimson & Co. Richard Powell, Crimson & Co managing director, said the poor economy of 2012 has changed the way the supply
